myHR: January 10, 2024

Step Into Wellness in the New Year

Every New Year is filled with resolutions—big promises we make to ourselves, and others, to improve our finances, careers, and especially our physical and emotional well-being. Turn on the news or scroll online, and wellness resolution talk is everywhere. The race to overhaul our health begins on January 1 and usually before Spring we’ve abandoned our well-meaning efforts. Often, we’ve set the bar too high and the pressure of living up to unrealistic expectations gets the best of us.

One way to build healthy habits and avoid the disappointment of failed resolutions is simply to start small. Rather than setting unrealistic goals that necessitate enormous changes in your daily life and are difficult to sustain over time, choose to take a “step” into wellness this year.  

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, one definition of “step” is “a stage in a process.” You might also describe this as “leaning into” wellness. Don’t aim for the stars with your step, but think of one desirable but obtainable action to move in the right direction. For example, rather than striving to add a one-hour workout each morning before work, identify one small step that you’d like to try once or twice a week. For example, you could get up 15 minutes early to stretch or go for a quick walk during the lunch break. See how you progress for the next few weeks. Then you can choose to either continue, adjust, or expand your step if you feel ready.

For inspiration this New Year, the Penn Healthy You team provides 10 examples of small, but effective, ways to step into wellness. Whether you wish to focus on physical, emotional, financial, or social well-being, pick one and try it out – or brainstorm your own ideas that fit your goals.

• Perform an act of kindness. Whether it’s paying for the coffee or tea of the person standing behind you in your favorite coffee shop, bringing in your neighbor’s trashcans after trash day, or baking cookies for an elderly person at a senior center, random acts of kindness and thinking of others can help improve your overall mental health while reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• Try a walking meeting or call. The next time you schedule a one-on-one talk with a colleague, suggest taking the meeting on foot rather than on Teams or Zoom. You’ll both get some exercise, increase your step count, and have an opportunity to take in refreshing scenery that will energize you for the rest of the day. Planning a catch-up call with a friend? Grab your ear buds and walk while talking for the same benefits!
• Hydrate. Add more water to your day to support various important systems in your body, increase energy levels, and reduce consumption of less healthy beverages. Aim for consuming half your body weight in ounces each day – but start with tracking your usual consumption and adding one extra cup (eight ounces) as many days as you wish.
• Volunteer. Giving of your time and talent brings joy to others and boosts your spirit. Find an organization that you care about and donate your time to helping others, in ways that are realistic with your schedule.
• Take a real lunch break. Is it really lunchtime if you’re always eating a sandwich at your desk and continuing to work? When the clock strikes noon (or your lunch break time), pick a day to get away from your workspace for an actual break whenever possible.
• Move your body. Whether doing yoga, strength training, walking, running, or taking a group fitness class, movement and exercise supports multiple dimensions of wellness. Not only your physical health, but exercise also pumps up your endorphins, releases stress, and can also improve your sleep. Work out with others and you’ve enhanced social well-being, too! Again, it’s important to take small steps, so be realistic with your schedule and goals.
• Skip store-bought coffee. If you are looking to save a few dollars and calories, consider making your own coffee or tea. Whipping up your favorite brew at home or the office could also help you reduce your intake of sugary products.
• Find gratitude. Start a gratitude journal to either start or end your day. Strive to reframe your mindset and find the silver lining to life’s challenges. Include a few minutes of mindful meditation and breathe in gratitude as a bonus! For examples, check out the Gathering Gratitude webpage on the HR website.
• Veg out. Add vegetables to a meal or snack once or twice this week. You can add veggies to your lunchtime sandwich, eat a side salad with dinner, or enjoy raw veggies and hummus for a snack. The added nutrients and fiber are satisfying, filling, and a healthy choice.
• Compliment someone. Saying something nice about someone can make that person feel seen and appreciated, and it will make you feel good, too! So, the next time a coworker, friend, family member, or even a stranger does something, wears something, or says something you like and appreciate, pay them a compliment.

A few tips to help keep you going:

• Be kind to yourself. Life can be challenging, and things can happen unexpectedly that are out of your control. If your plans to step into wellness go awry, remove pressure to achieve a certain outcome and keep your internal feedback positive. Give yourself the time and grace to take a step back and breathe. You’ll get back to your wellness steps when life allows. In the interim, do something that makes you happy, no matter how big or small.
• Track your progress. As you go throughout the process, consider documenting your goals and tracking your progress in a journal or by using an online tracking system. Include notes that are both helpful – yet positive and celebrate your efforts. Using these tools can help you stay on course, follow your journey, and be accountable.
• Need resources to help? Join the 2023-2024 Be in the Know wellness campaign for comprehensive programs and resources to keep your mind and body fit. You can also visit the Virgin Pulse platform for additional activities that support health and well-being.

Here’s to a happy, healthy, and inspired New Year!

Update Your Beneficiaries in Workday and TIAA

Have you experienced a life event such as a marriage, divorce, or birth of a child? If so, it’s time for you to update your Penn life insurance and retirement plan beneficiary designations.

By properly designating beneficiaries, you gain peace of mind knowing your loved ones will receive the money you want them to have. If you don’t, the money you intend to leave them could instead go to your estate and be distributed as part of probate proceedings. Probate can be time-consuming and stressful for your next of kin.

Designations for your retirement plans and life insurance do not apply to each other. However, the process is made simple using the Workday@Penn portal and the TIAA.org log in for Penn faculty and staff.

How to Update Your Life Insurance Beneficiary

You may update your life insurance beneficiary at any time. With the Workday@Penn portal updating your insurance beneficiary information only takes a few minutes. If you have not selected a life insurance beneficiary or need to update an existing designation, log in to Workday and follow these steps*:

1. Select the Benefits application from the Apps menu.
2. In the Change column, select Beneficiaries.
3. On the next page review, add, or remove beneficiaries. You can also update designations for existing beneficiaries. (Note: Once you add a beneficiary, you must designate him/her as a primary or secondary.)

For details, please see the Workday@Penn Manage, View, and Change Your Benefits tip sheet.

If you have questions about updating your life insurance beneficiary designations in Workday or need assistance, you can also call the Penn Benefits Solution Center at Health Advocate at 866-799-2329, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. ET.

How to Update Your Retirement Plan Beneficiary

To update your retirement plan beneficiary, log in to TIAA.org to see your account summary.*

1. Select the Actions link at the top of the screen.
2. Select Beneficiaries from the Top actions list.
3. Under Manage your beneficiaries, select the Beneficiaries tab.
4. To edit or remove a beneficiary, select the three-dot button next to their name.

Remember that for your retirement plan accounts you must make beneficiary designations for each contract under each of the three plans – Basic, Matching, and Supplemental. Any contracts without a beneficiary designation will default to your estate.

If you need help updating your retirement plan beneficiaries, please contact the TIAA Retirement Call Center at 877-736-6738.

For more details about updating beneficiaries for your retirement plans, visit the Designating Your Beneficiaries web page.

*Benefit service providers may revise their website occasionally, so these steps could change. If you need help, please contact the service providers listed above.

A Solid Foundation for Managers

If you or a staff member who reports to you has recently moved into a managerial position, or you’re interested in becoming a manager, now’s the time to get ready for Penn’s Essentials of Management (EOM) Spring 2024 term program.

EOM is accepting a new cohort of supervisors and managers for this nine-session program which runs April 9 through June 11. EOM is designed to give staff leaders a solid foundation in effective management and leadership practices at the University, while developing the skills and knowledge that go beyond management and into leadership and professional growth.

Essentials of Management combines on-campus classes with independent assignments that teach managers the fundamentals of guiding individual employees and teams successfully at Penn.

Each session focuses on these crucial components of effective management:

• Session 1: Introduction to Managing Staff Throughout the Employee Lifecycle
  April 9
• Session 2: Interpreting Policies and Identifying Legal Issues in Employment
  April 16
• Session 3: Interviewing and Selecting the Best Candidate
  April 23
• Session 4: Delivering Effective Communications with DiSC and MBTI
  April 30
• Session 5: Positive Employee Relations & Employee Engagement
  May 7
• Session 6: Managing Performance & Quality of Work Life
  May 14
• Session 7: Fostering Safety in the Workplace
  May 21
• Session 8: Creating a Respectful Workplace
  June 4
• Session 9: Intercultural Communication and Finale
  June 11

In addition to these in-person classes, Essentials of Management also includes a combined DiSC/MBTI assessment and a one-on-one coaching debrief to help participants understand how their individual management style impacts their interaction with others.

Plus, the program gives you a unique opportunity to network with peers across schools and centers.

Space is limited, so enroll in Essentials of Management now on Workday Learning to reserve your place in the next spring or fall cohort.

All Spring 2024 Essentials of Management participants need to complete the prerequisite Getting to Know Penn as a Manager: New Leader Assimilation Training course on Workday Learning before April 9.

There is a $450 cost for participating which is covered by a participant's department and goes toward the DiSC and MBTI assessments and debriefing provided to all participants. 

For more professional development programs, visit the Learn & Grow section of the Human Resources website.

Give Your Professional Skills a Boost

Penn’s mid-year performance review process for staff and managers ends on January 12. While the performance review is an ideal opportunity for staff and managers to start or continue conversations about career growth and talent development, it also serves as a time to identify areas of improvement. No matter your position, there’s always room for growth. To support that growth, Penn’s HR Talent Development team has recently launched six online competency modules as a part of Workday Learning to help you understand and develop your job-related competencies.

These self-paced courses include:

• Penn Competencies: An Overview                      
• Penn Competencies: Communicates Effectively
• Penn Competencies: Drives Engagement
• Penn Competencies: Organizational Savvy
• Penn Competencies: Drives Vision and Purpose
• Penn Competencies: Persuades

Each course takes about 15 to 30 minutes to finish and can be completed in any order. To access the competency courses, you can click on the links above or log into Workday and search “Penn Competencies” on the Workday homepage.

New modules will soon be added to the competency curriculum so that you can continue learning how to enhance your job performance and move toward greater success in your career.

For more information on competencies, visit the Competencies for Performance Appraisal page.

Penn’s New Retirement Planning Guide

There are many things to consider when you’re approaching retirement or enjoying your retirement, from medical benefits to retirement plan distributions. Penn has updated its Retirement Planning Guide to give you the information you need to make your transition to life after Penn as smooth as possible. The guide is available online.

The Retirement Planning Guide is a comprehensive resource for staff and faculty that includes information about medical benefits, vision, dental, life insurance, and retirement savings plans. The guide also provides 2024 rates for Penn medical plans and prescription drug coverage contributions, and many other details about Penn’s retiree offerings.   

For more information about retiree benefits, visit the Retiree Benefits webpage.

Healthy Meals: Good ‘N Healthy Minestrone Soup

This soup recipe is literally just what the doctor ordered. Joseph R. MacPhee, MD, a Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health physician, shared a hearty blend of vegetables, legumes, herbs, and pasta on the LG Health Hub. Enjoy satisfying flavor without all the salt-- perfect for the winter months.

Click here to send us your healthy recipes and tips.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup carrot, chopped
• 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• ½ cup Pancetta, chopped
• 1-14.5 ounce can no-salt diced tomatoes
• 1-15.5 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup wheat pasta elbows
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt, optional
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

• In a large soup pot or saucepan, add the olive oil, onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Sauté on medium high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft.
• Add the rosemary, basil, and parsley and sauté for another 5 minutes.
• Remove mixture and place into a food processor. Pulse 4 to 5 times to almost a purée. Set aside.
• In the same saucepan sauté the pancetta on medium high heat for 1 or 2 minutes until it just starts to brown.
• Add the vegetable mixture to the pancetta, along with the tomatoes, beans, chicken stock, bay leaf, pasta, spinach, and salt and black pepper, if desired.
• Cover and simmer over low heat until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf, then stir in the parmesan cheese and serve.

Meet With a Registered Dietitian Today!

• One-on-One, virtual sessions you can schedule at any time that works for you
• 100% covered under many insurance plans
• Available to spouses and dependents

Fill out the Ramp Health Nutrition Counseling Sign Up Form or call 800-484-7720.

Did You Know: Free ESL Program for Friends and Family

Do you have a friend or family member who would like to improve their English skills? Invite them to PEDAL, the Practical English for Daily Living program, offered by the Penn Graduate School of Education. The free program is for beginner to high-advanced adult English-as-a-second language (ESL) learners. Students can take classes on campus or online. Spring 2024 registration is open now through January 24. For details, visit the PEDAL website. For ELS courses for Penn students, faculty, and staff, visit the ELP website.